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Organize Your Church on Purpose, Around Giftedness

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Structure doesn’t cause growth; the structure of your church determines how fast you’ll grow and the size to which you’ll grow. There is no clear organizational structure in the New Testament, and I think God did that intentionally so the church can adapt to different stages, ages, and cultures. God gives us broad principles and not narrow rules. There is no perfect structure. As we study Scripture, we learn two general principles about organizing and structuring for growth. First, God wants us to organize around the purposes for which he created the church. And, second, God wants us to organize around the gifts of our members. Purpose and giftedness determine how you should organize your church. Here are some advantages to a simple, gift-based structure:

It focuses the church on ministry, not maintenance.

When organization is overemphasized, a church can lose its focus on ministry. I heard about a grease factory that, as it became more and more successful, had to build more machinery to produce the grease. But, they also had to use more of the grease on the machinery they were adding. Pretty soon, they closed the marketing department because all the grease was being used on their own machinery. If you streamline your structure, then you can maximize ministry and minimize maintenance. If you cut out about half of your meetings, your church would be more effective. I noticed the other day that my peach tree is covered in peaches; in fact, there might be 50 small peaches blooming on one branch. This week, I’m going to have to go out and remove about half of them. If you want big fruit, you have to get rid of about half of what you already have. That’s true in ministry, too: You have to focus if you want big results.

It makes better use of talent.

I remember many years ago when we were looking for land for Saddleback Church, I asked people who had a background in real estate or development to show up at my office the next night. There were 14 guys who showed up, and I didn’t know half of them. They went around the room, introduced themselves, and said why they should be on the task force. The first guy said, “My name’s Tom, and I buy all the sites for Kmart.” You’re in, Tom. The next guy says, “Last year I did $91 million in land acquisition.” You’re in. Next guy: “I’m vice president of First Interstate Bank.” You’re in. All the guys were highly qualified – far more than I was. I said, “I believe God wants us to have 50 acres of land for our church; your task is to go find it. God bless you. Meeting dismissed.” That’s what you call liberating the members for ministry. I’ve had this philosophy for more than 30 years, and Saddleback has gone far beyond what I could do because I released people to do what they are good at doing. The more successful a person becomes, the more impatient they will become with meaningless meetings. The last thing you want to do is put a go-getter on the flower committee. Committees discuss what they want other people to do; ministries just do it.

It builds morale.

Why? Because ministry is more fulfilling than maintenance.

It allows spontaneous growth.

If someone has a burden for ministry, then they can start it. We call this the “You’re It” principle. I can’t tell you how many people come to me and say, “Pastor, what the church needs is ...” My job is to release and equip the saints for ministry. When people see something missing in your church, they’re often revealing their giftedness. Don’t treat it as a criticism; realize that they are revealing their passion. In 1992, a young guy named Shane came to me and said, “This Internet thing is really going to take off, and the Church isn’t doing anything about it.” He wrote a three-page, critical letter about how we weren’t getting anything done. So, I hired him. As a result, Saddleback was the first church in the world on the Internet. Instead of getting defensive, I said, “Take it. Run with it.” Don’t go around popping bubbles all the time. I’d rather someone try and then learn that it can’t be done than for me to tell them that it can’t be done. And, it may be that they are finally the right person for the ministry that has failed in the past. Sometimes we start ministries from sermons. One time I did a message on how we need to care for one another. I thought, “We should start calling people just to see how they’re doing.” And I said, “I’m going to start a ministry right now called ‘Care Callers.’ If you like to talk on the phone and want to go through the directory and call people up and ask for prayer requests on my behalf, then please sign up on a card.” We didn’t do any long-range planning, but we started a valuable ministry.

It promotes growth.

Structure will be as creative as you allow it to be. If you allow people to expand and stretch, then you’re going to have a creative church. But if you have bureaucracy – “We’ve always done it this way” – then creative people are going to leave your church. They’ll go find a place where they’re allowed to blossom.

It allows more efficient decision-making.

Have you ever seen a church waste time on a trivial decision? Often, the more trivial the decision, the more time it takes to resolve the issue. In congregational meetings in small churches, decisions are often based on the popularity of the speaker. Also, the smaller the church, the more power the most negative person has. Many churches operate by management objection. The most negative person in the church is allowed to kill an idea. A simple structure is more stable. The more complicated a structure is, the easier it is to break. How do you simplify your structure?

Reduce the number of meetings you have in your church.
Reduce the number of items you vote on.
Release ministries to make their own decisions.
Let your budget determine your priorities. The way you spend your time and your money determines what’s important in your church.

Recent Articles

Turn Your Outline into Action: Building Points That Change Lives

Books on preaching often highlight the wrong kind of sermons as examples. Too many teach you to prepare academic outlines so vague and general that they’re robbed of power.Take this outline for a sermon on 1 Corinthians 12, titled The Corinthians and Spiritual Gifts: The source of the Corinthians’ gifts The function of the Corinthians’ gifts  The purpose of the Corinthians’ giftsDoes that grab your attention? Probably not. Here’s why: It’s abstract and academic, not applicational. It’s in the third person—about them, not us.It’s focused only on the past. It doesn’t mention God or people.In short, the points don’t say much to anyone. But you can avoid this pitfall with a few simple steps.Five Keys to Stronger Sermon Points1. Start with application.Use biblical application as your sermon points. Begin with what God wants people to do today, then show how Scripture grounds it.2. Put a verb in every point.Verbs turn biblical truth into action steps. They help your people become doers of the Word, not hearers only.3. Put God in your points.A sermon isn’t a pep talk. Changed lives come from God. Keep him at the center by naming him directly in your points.4. Use personal “you” pronouns.Speak personally: “God gave you gifts.” “Jesus calls you to serve.” Avoid vague “we” language that weakens the application.5. Give a weekly assignment.Jesus often ended with assignments like, “Go and do likewise.” Do the same—offer one specific practice for the week.Instead of the academic outline about the Corinthians’ gifts, try something like this:God gave you gifts. God gave you gifts to use. God gave you gifts for the benefit of the body.This version is personal, practical, God-centered, and positive.

The Bartimaeus Principle: Respond to Jesus Now

The Bible tells the story of a blind man named Bartimaeus. One day, as Jesus and his followers left Jericho, they came upon him begging by the side of the road. When he heard that Jesus was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:47 NIV).When Bartimaeus got up that morning, he had no idea that this was the day Jesus was going to walk by. He thought it was just another ordinary day: same place, same cry for help, same situation. But suddenly Jesus was there. Bartimaeus had no time to prepare or think through his response. It was just an opportunity that dropped in his lap. And he chose to seize the moment. He decided not to delay or procrastinate. He was going to do it—now.That’s the first key to a fresh start in your life and ministry, too: Whatever you’re going to do, do it now. Don’t say, “Next year I’ll have that hard conversation,” or “Next month I’ll start investing in that young leader,” or “Tomorrow I’ll finally deal with that area of my life.” It’s now or never. Seize the moment!Pastor, every week we have opportunities for a fresh start in ministry, but too often we let them slip by. Why? We procrastinate. Procrastination is a strange phenomenon. You think it will make your life easier, when it actually does just the opposite. It’s a stress generator! When you know the right thing to do, today is the time to do it. The Bible warns over and over about procrastination. In the Message paraphrase, Jesus says, “No procrastination. No backward looks. You can’t put God's kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day” (Luke 9:62).Whatever God is prompting you to do in your preaching, in your shepherding, in your leadership—do it today. Don’t delay. Follow the example of Bartimaeus and seize the moment.

Pastors Are People-Builders

For 12 years the Green Bay Packers won only 30 percent of their games. By 1958 they were 1 in 10. They were terrible. Then came Vince Lombardi. He was a people-builder. During the next nine years with the Packers, he had nine winning seasons. They beat their opponents 75 percent of the time and won five championships, including the first two Super Bowls. That’s the resume of a people-builder. A people-builder makes people better.Pastor, you’re a people-builder, too. God is using you to help people be all that he has made them to be. But more than likely, you’ve never been trained to do that. How do you bring out the best in people? Whether it’s the average layperson in your congregation, a leader you’re mentoring, or a staff person you’re helping to grow, your ability to build people is essential to what you do. In fact, your need to be a people-builder isn’t limited to your ministry role. You also need to be a builder of your family and friends.These four steps will help you build people more effectively:Give people a personal challenge. Paul does this in Ephesians 4:1: “Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received” (CSB). He challenges readers to make their lives count. Why? We all need a cause, a project, or a dream that calls forth the best in our lives. Your people need a cause or dream to strive for, too.God wants you and your congregation to use your strengths and abilities for him. In the secular world, career planning, temperament analysis, and competency tests are big business. Why? We all need someone who will give us a personal challenge, help us discover what we’re good at, and urge us to do it well.    The Bible teaches us that’s what the church should do. We should be people-builders. That’s always been the idea around the CLASS system developed at Saddleback. In each of those classes, we challenge people to live out God’s purposes. What’s your church doing to challenge people to fulfill God’s purposes?Give them complete confidence. Paul says in Romans 15:2, “We should all be concerned about our neighbor and the good things that will build his faith” (GWT). Paul tells us to build up others in the faith. Pastor, to bring out the best in others, we need to give them complete confidence in what God can do through them. Jesus did this with Peter. Peter’s name Petros meant “pebble.” But Jesus, in effect, said, “Pebble, you’re going to be a rock. I’m giving you a new name.” When Jesus said that to Peter, he was anything but a rock. He was Mr. Impulsive, Mr. Foot-in-Mouth, Mr. Let’s Do It! But Jesus said he was going to be a rock. Jesus didn’t tell him what he was; he told him what he could be.Whenever you label somebody, you reinforce what they are. Label the people you lead as “lazy,” “unorganized,” or “a temper problem,” and that’s what you’ll get. Build them up instead. God did this to Gideon. He called him a “mighty man of courage” when he was the biggest wimp out there. God called him a man of courage, and he became one.    1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “So encourage each other and give each other strength, just as you are doing now” (NCV). If you’re going to be a people-builder, you’ve got to be good at encouragement. How do you do that? Here are three tips:It needs to be real—not insincere manipulation. It needs to be regular. Express it frequently.It needs to be recognizable or precise. Tell the person exactly what you’re encouraging in him or her.Sometimes you’ll hear people say, “Whenever something is wrong, I hear it from my boss!” Don’t be that kind of boss; it’s poor leadership.  Give them wise counsel. You’ll see no progress without learning, and no learning without feedback. Since none of us is perfect, our perceptions get off base. We need people in our lives who will lay it out on the line and be honest with us.Proverbs 27:17, says, “People learn from one another, just as iron sharpens iron” (GNT). We bring out the best in others when we’re willing to be honest with them. People-builders care enough to correct and confront.   Remember, though, correction is very powerful and can be dangerous. Correction done the right way builds people up; correction done the wrong way can scar a person for life. What is the difference between the right and wrong way to correct? It’s your attitude in correcting. If your attitude is: “I’m going to point out this weakness in your life just to point it out,” that’s wrong. People don’t need to have their faults pointed out. Most of us are well aware of our faults. Your purpose must be to change their behavior, not to condemn them. Ephesians 4:1 says, “We will speak the truth in love” (NLT).Give them full credit. To be a people-builder, you need to praise the growth and the changes you see in the lives of others. I used to have a sign in my office that said, “God can do great things through the person who doesn’t care who gets the credit.” That’s part of people-building. Usually we like to share the blame and keep the credit. The Bible says we’re to do just the opposite. Romans 12:10 says, “Let us have real warm affection for one another . . . and a willingness to let the other man have the credit” (PHILLIPS). As a pastor, you’ll get a lot of the credit when things go well (and a lot of the blame when they don’t). That’s natural. But next time someone showers you with praise for something going well at the church (recent growth, a new event that’s making an impact, or something like that), find out who should share the credit and give it to them. That’s leadership. It’s also how you build the leaders you have. If you’re always taking the credit for what’s happening in your church, it shouldn’t surprise you when you have trouble keeping leaders.  Applying these four principles will take a lot of work. I won’t sugar-coat it. There’s always a price tag to being a people-builder. It may take your time, your effort, your money, your energy—and it may lead to losing your privacy. Most of all, it’ll cost you selfishness. You can’t be selfish and be a people-builder.So why should you do it? Because of what God has done for you. God has been good to you, so you should be good to others. Do it out of a response to all God has done in your life. I want to challenge you to spend the rest of your ministry—the rest of your life, for that matter—as a people-builder. Focus your ministry around helping others be all that God has called them to be. That’s what a shepherd does; that’s what a pastor does.I can't think of a better way to spend my life.

Joy Returns When Christ Is First

Pastor, a lot of people—including those of us in ministry—are looking for joy in all the wrong places. We chase after bigger churches, more effective programs, or the applause of peers and congregants. But joy never shows up there.Misplaced priorities can eliminate your ministry joy.Paul explained this in his letter to the Philippians: “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:7–8, NIV)That was Paul’s “profit and loss statement.” Everything that once seemed like a gain now counted as loss compared to knowing Christ. Even while sitting in a prison cell, Paul could rejoice because his priorities were centered on Jesus.Notice the word “rubbish.” The translators were being polite. The original word means dung, manure. Paul wasn’t mincing words. Without Jesus, everything else—fame, money, or power—is worthless garbage. Only Christ brings lasting joy.You will lose your joy in ministry if you let lesser things distract you. People will let you down. Plans won’t always work out. Attendance will fluctuate. If you keep your focus there, joy will evaporate.Paul reminds us that life is about tradeoffs. He surrendered everything so that he could be found “in Christ.” Jesus said the same thing: “No one can serve two masters.” (Matthew 6:24, NIV) Many of us want Jesus plus something else. But you can’t have two #1s.Here’s the reality: When we come to Christ, we give up everything. That may feel restrictive at first, but it’s really the doorway to joy. When we surrender, Jesus reshapes our gifts, reforms our goals, and gives them back with greater purpose than before.Missionary Jim Elliot, who gave his life in Ecuador, put it this way: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”So what are you holding on to that keeps stealing your joy? Has your ministry—even your goals for it—taken the place of Christ?It’s time to reorder your priorities. Put Jesus back in the center. When you do, you’ll discover again the joy you’ve been missing.

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